Brenta Dolomites Via Ferrata

The Brenta Dolomites – The via ferrata delle Bocchette in the Brenta Dolomites, called in short Via delle Bocchette. The Classic hut to hut journey traverses the whole of Brenta range in the Dolomites. Its just my favorite trip in the alps. Thats 35 yrs of Guiding! Each day the traverse twidsts and turns amongst some of the Dolomites most spectacular Limestone formations and Big walls. It allows the non climber to experience being up in this grand terrain. Each day involves traversing sections and climbing ladders up and down. Its fun and never too tecnical but always feels like it is an alpine journey, high and continous. On the traverse you are up in the Alps around 3000m, crossing glaciers and require techniques like the use of crampons.
I often take people with no crampon skills as the places you need them are up two small glaciers: It is more like walking on ice sheets, where a slip wouldnt be safe.

Its an ideal intro mountaineering trip experience. Its wonderful with groups and Ive taken families with kids as on the traverse. Each day you traverse to another hut. It is possible to add extra higher summits for more able groups. If weathers bad you can take easier routes around most sections.
The Via Ferrata is maintained by 5 local clubs and the wires, stanchions and ladders have alwas been in good working order. Its exposed and as a Guide you work hard to keep people safe. Most of the time we use ropes to dsafeguard the team. Always we have tails to clip the Via Ferrata equipment. Any younger members are always on a rope.
I provide any technical equipoment
Helmets
Harness
Via Ferrata tails
Axes-light weight
Crampons-lightweight alloy
Ropes

Each person will need alpine clothing: shorts and walking trousers; warm top; light duvet jacket; hat gloves; Waterproof top and bottom; walking boots;30 litre rucksack; water bottle;

Ratio of Guide to Group
Ideally 1 to 3 ratio is best but with some peoplke 1 to 4 is ok. All kids will be on a rope all the time.

General outline of suggested trip.

5 days. We meet up close to the start of the trip at Madonna di Campiglio. Its north off Vernice Airport by car for 2 hours. Possible pick up if required. We finish in the valley where we can get a taxi or bus back to the start of tghe trip.

Day 1 Madonna di Campiglio to Tuckett Hut. Groste
Pass. Via Ferrata Benini – Cima Falkner – Tucket Hut. 850 m up, 900m down. 7 hrs. Good day  with 
lots of larger ledges to wander along, but also some longer 
ladders to descent. We start from a lift so there is more traversing than slogging up hill. A nice intro day for the journey.

Day 2 Tuckett Hut to Tosa Hut. Steep trail into the Tucket Saddle (sometimes the use of crampons 
necessary). Via Ferrata Bochette Alta to the Tosa Hut (Showers 
available) 7 hrs. great day – maybe the best of 
the trip with lots of exposure, ladders and narrow ledges.

Day 3 Tosa Hut to Tommaso Pedrotti Hut. Great day of ladders, glacier and traversing wild places 6 hours.

Day 4 Tommas Pedrotti Hut to Augostini Hut . Stunning
big walls surround the route. Big ladders descend after through amazing
valley to the  hut. Passing the Basso de Campalino tower. Option on 
this day to take in another summit variation. 5 hours.

Day 5 Augostini Hut to Apostels Hut then back to Madonna.Nice walk to a col then over the biggest ladders and descend through wild rocky terrain to the Apostels hut. 5/6 hours. Long descent to the valley down from high up. Then take a bus back to the start of the trip

Costs based on 5 days
1:2 ratio £1000 per person/1:3 ratio £700 per person Guides fee plus his Expenses. This fee pays the Guides wage, equipment and travel costs to the area plus his accommodation on the night before and afterwards. Expenses for Guide include Hut nights(mostly free), Guides food and drinks, cableways(often free)This will be paid for by a group kitty.
Personal costs to cover Expenses
Everybody pays for their own: travel to area; accommodation at start of holiday and end; food; accommodation; cableways; bus ticket return; Hut night; insurance. approx £300 per person.

Getting to the area.
Can be reached by hire car from airports Bergamo and Venice. Possible pick up by the Guide if aranged before.